Safety device for automobiles



`lune 23, 1931.

. 1. H. WESTLUND SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July ll, 1927 lexl'luncl by M Lg/L/emwfl'orzze r .Patented June 23, 1931 PATENT orifice JOHN I-I. WESTLUND, 0F MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Application filed July 11,

The object of my invention is to provide a safety device for aut-omobiles of-simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction.

A further object of my invention is to provide a means on the extremities of a vehicle whereby contact of these means with an object will serve to warn the operator of the vehicle that Vthe vehicle has come in contact with such object.

`Still a further object is to provide the con tact means for the purpose of operating a shut off mechanism associated with the motor of the vehicle whereby the motor is positively stopped when said contact means is operated.

Still a further object is to providenmy safety device in connection with a vehicle having braking means on it, my device serving to release a brake actuating mechanism f for stopping the motion of the vehicle when the contact mea-ns engages an object.

Still a further object is to provide the stopping means for lthe motor and the braking means for the vehicle so associated with the contact means on the extremities of the vehicle whereby both are operated upon engagement of the contact means with an obj ect.

Still a further object is to arrange a locking mechanism for the shut olf device so that when the contact members operate the shut oft device, it will remain in position for stopping the motor and the starting switch button of the motor will have to be pressed lto start the motor again. Vhen the Vstarter button is so pressed, it will reset the shut oft1 mechanism .so that it is ready for operation again when one of the contact members engage another object. Y yWith these and` other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a portion ofthe forwardly extending frame members of an auto- 192'?.r Serial No. 204,784.

mobile showing a bumper thereon and contact members mounted on the bumper.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the contact members illustrating their relation t-o the bars of the bumper.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the floor boards of an automobile showing the emergency brake lever and a portion of my safety device associated therewith.

Figure *i is a sectional view through the floor boards of` an automobile showing in section my motor shut oitA mechanism and its relation to the starting switch for the motor.

Figure 5 is a view similar to a portion of Figure il, showing certain parts in another position; and

Figure G is an electrical diagrammatic view of my device showing its relation electrically, to various element-s comprising the automobile to which my device is attached.

On the accompanying drawings I have used they reference numeral 10 to indicate the ends of a frame of an automobile. The ends 10 may be at either the front or the rear I mount portions of my device on each end of the automobile. Secured to the frame members 10 I have illustrated a spring bumper bar 12.

Secured by a. bolt 14 to a portion of the bumper bar 12 is a metallic cup 16. l1`his is best illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Secured to another portion of the bar 12 by a bolt 18 is a metallic sleeve 20. The bolt 18 andthe sleeve 2O are suitably insulated from the bumper bar 12 by insulating materia-l 22 which may be in any convenient form suoli as washers and a sleeve. y

It will be noted that` the cup 16 is considerably larger than the sleeve 20 and fits over it leaving a space between the two all .around the sleeve 20. Slidably mounted in the sleeve 20 is a contact plunger 24 held against an inturned peripheral iangc of the sleeve 20. A spring v28 is utilized for holding the Contact plunger 24 against the fiange 26.

I have illustrated in Figure 1, two lof the devices just described which I term cup switches. Two cup switches would also be attached to the opposite end of the automobile in a similar manner, a second bumper bar 12 being vprovided for them. I shall hereinafter refer to the' cup switches generally by the reference character A.

The cup switches A are adapted to establish an electrical current between a lead wire 30, and the frame work of the automobile usually termed the ground. -In thisvconnectioii thecup 16 is grounded to the bumper barY 12 as clearly illustrated.

The lead wire 30 is connectedlto `one side' of a signal light 31 which maybe .mountedV on the dash or" an automobile or any position Where it can be readily seen by the operator of the vehicle. The other side ofthe light 3l extends through a battery 33 which may be the sto-ragev battery of the automobile.v

Oneside of the storage battery 33 is always grounded so that contact of the cup 16 with the sleeve 2O will cause an electrical circuit through the light 31 for notifying the operatorof the vehiclethat such Contact has occured. Itis to be understood that signals 1 other than ailight 31 can be used such as a bell orbuzzerjand also other devices can be operated by the vcirc-uit through. the cup switch. These other devices I will new describe in detail. 1 1

The cup switches A are adapted to establish such a circuit whenever the bumperbar 12 is struck which moves the cup 16 into contactwith the plunger 24. Excessive Vmovec ment-of thefbumper bar 12 is compensated for by ther spring 28. By making the contact member 16 vcup shaped,^it`will Contact with the sleeve 12 wheiiever'it ismoved sidewise as illustrated by they dotted line position'in Fig-4 ure 2. 'lliis insures establishmentof the circuit regardless of what angle the bumper bai 12 is struck; f

It is to be understood that-the switches Vcan be arranged independently of a bumper theautomobile are indicated at 32. All auto'- mobiles are provided with emergency brakes which are controlled by a. brake lever The brakes themselves arev not illustrated.

The brake lever 34 is pivoted to a notched sector 36 and is providedV with a pawl 38 the `movement 'of which can be controlled by a Ypress button'40. emergency brake lever just described is standard on most automobiles and Vis merely The construction of vthe described here to show its relationY to my safety devic kadapted to be raisedfroni engagement with the spool 50 by anelectro-magnet 54. The lead wires et themagnet`54 are indicated at v56 and 53.

It will be obviousthat upward movement of the latch52 caused by .energization ot the electro-magnet 54, will release thevspool `50 and the spring 48, allowing the spring 4S to expand for causing the spool 50 to engage and move the fork 4" whereby the-brake lever is moved to position.l where theemergency brakes are set. Y f Y lVhen the magnet 54 isl de-energizcd, the latch 52 will dropinto position to. engage the spool 5 When the operator oic the vehicle vreleases the emergency brakes by pushing the brake lever 34 forwardly, the spool 50 will be slid rearwardly on the rodL 42 andthe spool will Vbe again engaged by the latch 52 and held in position with the spring 48 compressed. v I

The electrical connection between the cup switch A. and the brake releasing mechanism B will be hereinafter more fully described. InFigures 4 and 5 of the drawings, I liave ill strated a device C for cutting oil the ignition of the motor of the vehicle at certain times. The cut-oli1 device C comprises casing60 secured to the underside ofthe licor boards 32. The casing 60 has mounted therein l an electro-magnet 62 having lead wiresf64 and 66 connected with it. l

The electro-magnet 62 is adaptednpon being `energized to swing. an armature v68 against the action of spring W). rlhe arniature68 is connected with a lead wire72 and is ,adapted to coact with a contact` post 54. The contact post .7 4 is connected to a remaining wire. 'Y t A lock bar 78 is pivotedwithin the casing lGdand normally rests against the lower end of the armature 68 and held in this' position by the spring 70. Vl/Vlien thev electroniagnet62 i` ture 68, the lock barS will be moved upwardly behind it vas illustrated in Figure 5 for the purpose ot preventing the spring 70 from pulling the'armature back yto'normal position.

vIn the position illustrated in Figurer?, the contact between the armature 68 and the post 7 4 is broken. It will be obvious that the `parts of the shut oil Vdevice C thus farV described, will remain' in tl'e Ypositiony lillustrated in energized for pulling the arma- Figure 5 until the lock bar 78 is moved downwardly.

The shut oli device C is arranged in coniunction with a starter switch button 80. The button 8O is held upwardly by spring pressure and is attached to a rod 82. The rod 82 extends into the casing 60 and its lower end is adapted to engage the lock bar 78 when the button is pressed downwardly.

The contacts of the starter switch are illus-- trated at 84 and are electrically bridged by aV contact bar 86 when the starter button 8O is depressed.

The lead wires 7 2 and 76 are cut into the ignition circuit of the motor of the vehicle so that the ignition system is shut o when the electro-magnets 62 are energized and remains shut oit until the starter button 8O depresses the lock bar 78 for allowing the armature 68 to make contact with the post 74.

I will now describe the electrical connection between the brake releasing unit B, the shut od unit C and the switch units A. In Figure 6 I have illustrated these connections diagrammatically.

The cup switches 76 are the ones mounted on the front bumper 12 and the cup switches 78 are those mounted on the rear bumper bar. The cup switches 7 6 are included in the circuit of the signal light 31 and the cup switches 78 are included in the electrical circuit ot a second signal light 31A. The lights 3l and 31A are mounted on the dash and serve to indicate to the operator of the vehicle when either of his bumper bars are depressed by vcoming in contact with an object such asv another automobile when the operator is parking or moving away from a parking place.

The cup switches 76 are includedin the electric circuit of the electro-magnets 62 and the armature 68 and contact post 74 are included in the ignition circuit of the automobile. This ignition circuit however, is illustrated as one example, by the primary coils 81 of the ignition spark coils.

A timer 83 serves to time the current supplying the spark plugs of the ignition system, the secondary coils of which are not illustrated. It will be understood, of course, that i the contacts 68 and 74 may be included in any type of ignition circuit and I donot wish to be limited to the type shown.

Y Besides being included in the circuit of the light 31 and shut o mechanism C, the cup switches 76 are included in the circuit of the electro-magnet 54 whereby the magnet 54 is energized whenever either of the cup switches 76 are moved to establish an electrical circuit through them.

Practical operation In the operation of my device when the Y rear bumper is struck, the light 31A will be energized. When the front bumper is struck,

the light 31 will be energized as well as the braking unit B and the motor shut ott unit C.

By this arrangement, an automobile travelling along a highway and equipped with my safety device, will upon bumping into an automobile ahead of it, be caused to stop by cutting off the ignition of the motor andv releasing the emergency brake.

When the operator again wishes to proceed, it is merely necessary for him to depress the starter but-ton 8O for re-establishing the ignition circuit and starting the motor of the automobile. The emergency brakes may then be released by moving the lever 34 forwardly which automatically compresses the spring 48. The entire device is then set for again being actuated upon engagement of the front bumper with yanother object.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement oit' the parts ot my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

l. Inr combination with a vehicle having a motor thereon, a device of the character disclosed comprising shut off means for stopping said motor, starting means for starting said motor and movable means mounted on the extremities of said vehicle, said movable means being associated with said shut od means and with said starting means whereby movement of the movable means will operate the shut oit means and lock it in shut-oit position and movement of the starting means to again start the motor will release the shut oii means in readiness to be again operated by the movable means.

2. A safety device for motor propelled vehicles comprising movable means mounted on the extremities of the vehicle and adapted to be moved when coming in contact with an object, and a. shut oil switch for stopping said motor, said shut ofi switch being operated by said movable switch when moved, a lock `for said shut oii' means to cause it to continue to operate after the movable means has been returned to normal position and means actuated by the starting mechanism of the motor for rendering the lock inoperative.

3. A safety device for motor propelled vehicles including a starter and a starter switch, said safety device comprising movable means mounted on the extremities of the vehicle and adapted to be moved when coming in contact with an object, and shut off means for stopping said motor, said shut cli means being operated by said movable means when moved, a lock for said shut ott means to cause it to continue to operate after the movable means has been returned to normal position and means for rendering the lock inoperative,

said means being operated by the starter switch of the'motor after having been stopped by. said shutoi:1 means. s

f 4. A safety device formotor propelled vel hicles having braking Vmechanism andv a starter switch thereon, said device comprising movable means mounted on the extremlties of the vehicle and adapted to be moved Y i when coming in Contact with an object, means for operating saidbrake upon such movement of said movable means, and shut off means fork stopping said motor, said shut off means being operated by said. movable means when moved', a lock for said shut ofi" means'to cause it to continue to operate after the movi able means vhas been returned to normal position and meansfor rendering the lock inoperatlve, said last means being operated by the starting switch of the -motor after having `been stopped by said shutoff means.

-' 5. The Combination Ywith a starting switch andan ignition circuit of Va vehicle engine of means for opening said ignition circuit',y said means being operated by the engagement of Van end of the vehicle with an object and including locking means for mantaining the circult open, said locking means being so associated wlth said starter switch as to be rendered inoperative therebyY upon movementy of ,thek

starter switch to starting position. Des Moinesrlowa, June 30, 1927.

JOHN H1wEs'iFLUND.L Y i 

